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CONSTITUTION 



MEW-YORK STATE HORTICULTURAL 
SOCIETY. 









ADVERTISEMENT, 



The establishment of a Garden, for the purpose 
of Horticultural improvement and the advance- 
ment of Botanical science, has for a number of 
years been a subject of consideration with intelli- 
gent men in the city of New-York and throughout 
the state. 

The failure of distinguished individual exertion 
has shown the necessity of combined effort ; and 
the spirit of the times and the proffered patronage 
of wealth and talent, have indicated this era as an 
appropriate one for the formation of a Society on 
a scale commensurate with the importance of the 
State and the magnitude and consequence of its 
Metropolis. 

In Europe, similar establishments confer honours 
not only on the cities with which they are imme- 
diately connected, but on the countries to which 
they belong. The Royal Garden of Plants in Paris 
is the pride and boast of France — the Garden at 
Amsterdam, of Holland — the Botanic and Hor- 
ticultural Gardens of Dublin, Glasgow, Edinburgh, 
Liverpool, and London, excite the same feeling-' 

A 



in the united kingdom of Great Britain and Ire- 
land. New-York (both City and State) has a 
right to be emulous of equal usefulness and am- 
bitious of equal fame. A Society has consequent- 
ly been formed, and the subjoined explanation of 
its objects, with the copy of its constitution, will 
convey the requisite information to its friends and 
patrons. 

The primary object of this Society will be to 
establish a Garden of from ten to twenty acres in 
the vicinity of the city, for the express purpose of 
Horticultural improvement, and, as far as prac- 
ticable, the general advancement of Botanical 
science. 

The propagation of fruit trees will especially 
engage the attention of the Society. Every va- 
riety and species of these will be collected and 
cultivated, and every necessary information con- 
cerning them will be carefully preserved and dis- 
tributed gratuitously for the public good. A 
remedy may, in this way, be found for the evil 
so much and so justly complained of, that fruit 
trees do not always correspond to the names 
ascribed to them. The best mode of cultivating 
the various fruits adapted to our climate, and 
the remedies for the diseases to which they are 
subject, will also be ascertained from actual ex- 
periments. 

The encouragement that such a Society could 
give to market gardeners, and others, to excel in 



the cultivation of esculent vegetables; in raising 
early crops and genuine garden seeds, would tend 
to general [improvement, and soon have a salutary 
effect on our markets ; and doubtless, in the So- 
ciety's garden, every species of vegetable would 
be found improved, by a careful and experimental 
cultivation. 

As such a garden should combine pleasure with 
its other advantages, it will have a large portion 
appropriated to ornamental flowers, and also a par- 
ticular section set apart for a distinct Flora of the 
United States ; and thus embracing every advan- 
tage which the Florist and Botanist can desire, it 
will become one of the most interesting and beau- 
tiful ornaments to our city. 

Our Students of Medicine will receive impor- 
tant advantages from this institution. The cele- 
brated Schools of Medicine in Europe have their 
Botanic Gardens, in which are cultivated all the 
varieties of plants used in the healing art. The 
Medical College in this city, so rapidly ad- 
vancing to distinction, is deficient in an institution 
of this kind ; but to this Garden our Students 
might have access, where they could study the 
various medicinal plants in a living state. It is 
also contemplated to erect suitable buildings 
for Lecture Rooms, and a Botanical Library and 
Cabinet, and ultimately to establish a Professor- 
ship of Botany and Horticulture. 



This Society will extend its patronage to scien- 
tific and practical Gardeners who may arrive in 
this country from foreign parts, particularly those 
who shall bring satisfactory recommendations from 
the officers of similar societies from whence they 
come. 

Young men of the state who would wish to en- 
ter the Garden as Apprentices, at a moderate sala- 
ry, would receive instruction in every branch of 
Horticulture ; and those suitably educated, would 
also receive Botanical instruction. 

New- York, May 1824. 



CONSTITUTION. 



ARTICLE 1. 



This society shall be known by the name of Name and ob- 
14 The New-York State Horticultural Society:" dety. 
the object of which shall be the improvement of 
Horticulture in all its branches, and also the ex- 
tension of the knowledge of indigenous and fo- 
reign plants, especially such as are useful or orna- 
mental. 

ARTICLE If. 

The society shall consist of three classes of Members, 
members, to wit, resident, non-resident, and hono- 
rary. Resident members, are such as reside in the 
city of New-York or its immediate vicinity ; non- 
resident members, such as reside elsewhere in the 
state ; and honorary members, such as shall have - 
rendered essential service to the society, or are 
distinguished for their attainments in Horticulture 
or its kindred sciences, and without reference to 
their places of residence. 

article hi. 

Candidates for admission, as ordinary members, ordinary mem- 
shall be proposed in writing by at least two mem- e" s ' 



Honorary mem- 
bers how admit- 
ted. 



bers, at a stated meeting of the society, and shall 
be ballotted for by the members at the next ensu- 
ing stated meeting, the votes of three-fourths of 
the members then present being requisite for the 
election of such proposed member. 

The admission of honorary members shall be 
proposed only by the council, and they may be 
elected at the same meeting at which they are pro- 
posed, three-fourths of the members then present 
voting therefor. 

ARTICLE IV. 



Payments by Each member, other than honorary? shall pay 

members. /» m «• 1 i •» 

annually, on the 1st day of May, the sum of three 
dollars, for the use of the society. Every mem- 
ber, other than honorary, elected after the last 
Thursday in May, one thousand eight hundred and 
twenty-four, shall also pay an initiation fee of three 
dollars. 

Commutation. A^ n y member, not in arrear, may commute for 
his annual contribution, by the payment, at one 
time, of twenty-five dollars. 

Exemption. Any member who shall be an original subscri- 

ber for four or more shares of the stock of the So- 
ciety, shall be exempt from the payment of any 
annual contribution so long as he he shall continue 
to hold the same. 

Commutation- All initiation fees, all moneys received from 

moneys, &c. to -, . P ■, . . 

form part of the members as a commutation lor the annual contri- 
bution, and all donations, shall form part of the 



capital of the Society. 



ARTICLE V. 

Honorary members shall be exempted from the "'J™*'* ™ em " 
payment of all fees and contributions; and shall from fees, 
not be entitled to vote at any meeting of the so- 
ciety, nor be eligible to any office therein. 

ARTICLE VI. 

No member, whose annual contribution shall be Arrearages, 
in arrear for more than one year shall be eligible 
to any office in the society, or entitled to vote at 
any meeting of the society. 

Any member, whose annual contribution shall m J e e n c ,beTs. ° 
be in arrear for more than two years, and who 
shall have been requested, in writing, by the Trea- 
surer to pay such arrearages, may be ejected from 
the society, such ejection being proposed at one 
stated meeting, and ballotted for at the next ensu- 
ing stated meeting of the society, three-fourths of 
the members present, at each of such meetings, 
concurring therein. Any member, for other suffi- 
cient cause, may be in like manner ejected. 

ARTICLE VII. 

The officers of the society shall consist of a officers, 
President, three Vice Presidents, two Correspond- 
ing and two Recording Secretaries, and a Trea- 
surer, to be chosen annually, by and from among how chosen. 
the members, by ballot ; and also of a Council, to 
consist of thirty resident and twenty non-resident 
members, to be also chosen by and from among 
the members by ballot. 

The resident Counsellors thereof, shall be di- Resident couh- 

. sellors divided 

yided by the Council, by lot, into five classes, the into classes, fcr. 



members of one of which classes shall go out of 
office at the expiration of each successive year, 
25K25J but sha11 be re-eligible. The non-resident Coun- 
sellors to be annually elected. 

At all elections for Officers of the Society, each 
member shall be entitled to one additional vote for 
each share of the stock of the Society which he 
shall then hold, and may vote by proxy upon his 
stock. 



Lially 

Additional vote 
on stock. 



ARTICLE VIII. 

officers ex-offi- The President, Vice President, Secretaries, and 
council. Treasurer, shall be ex-officio members of the 

Council. 

ARTICLE IX. 

President, and The President, and, in his absence, the senior 
resi ents. y lce p res id en t present, shall preside at the seve- 
ral meetings of the society. In case of the ab- 
sence of the President and of all the Vice Presi- 
dents, a member of the Council, and in default of 
such being present, any member of the society 
may be called to preside at such meeting, by the 
vote of a majority of the members present. 



Corresponding 
Secretaries. 



Recording Se- 
• 'iPtaries. 



ARTICLE X. 

It shall be the duty of the Corresponding Se- 
cretaries to conduct the correspondence of the so- 
ciety, and to read, at the meetings of the society 
and of the council, all communications made to 
them in their official capacity. 

ARTICLE XI. 

The Recording Secretaries shall keep the mi- 
nutes of all business transacted at the meetings of 



the society and of the council ; take charge of the 
records and papers of the society ; give notice of 
extra meetings ; notify to members their election, 
and perform such other duties as shall be assigned 
to them by the council, or as may be designated by 
the by-laws. 

ARTICLE XII. 

The Treasurer shall take charge of the funds Treasure 
of the society ; receive the dues from the mem- 
bers; report to the society, at the anniversary 
meetings, the receipts and expenditures for the 
past year, his accounts having been previously au- 
dited by a committee of finance ; and pay all or- 
ders and accounts signed by the President, or one 
of the Vice Presidents, and approved and coun- 
tersigned by such committee of finance, or a ma- 
jority thereof, or in such other manner as shall be 
directed by the by-laws. It shall also be the duty 
of the Treasurer to report quarterly to the coun- 
cil, and to the society so often as shall be required, 
the state of the finances of the society. 

ARTICLE XIII. 

The council shall have power, from time to time, council, by. 
to make and establish such by-laws, rules, and re- laws ' 
gulations,not repugnant to this constitution, as shall 
be deemed useful and necessary for the govern- 
ment and regulation of the society, and touch- 
ing and concerning the subscription to, trans- 
fer of, and payment of dividends upon its stock ; 
the care, investment, and management of its 
funds, property, and effects; the care and ma- 
nagement of the garden, the disposal of the pro- 

R 



10 

ducts thereof, and the admission of members and 
others therein; the awarding of premiums, the 
publication of the proceedings of the society, and 
of papers laid before it; the admission of, or con- 
nexion with Auxiliary Societies, and the privileges 
to be granted them; and the general conduct and 
management of the business and affairs of the so- 
ciety, as it shall deem needful and proper ; such 
by-laws, rules, and regulations subject however 
to be altered, modified, or repealed by the society 
at its stated meetings, three-fourths of the members 
present at any such meeting concurring in such al- 
teration, modification, or repeal, and the same be- 
ing confirmed by the votes of three-fourths of 
the members present at the next ensuing stated 
meeting. 

The Council shall also have power to fill any 
vacancy that may occur therein, until the next an- 
niversary meeting ; and to appoint a committee of 
finance, and such other committees from its own 
Subordinate of- body, and such subordinate officers, agents, attend- 

fkers, &c. . _ . . , 

ants and servants, with such perquisites or salaries 
as shall be deemed meet, as may be necessary for 
the purposes aforesaid. 
Minutes of the At tf ie several stated meetings of the society, the 

council. m m ~ . . 

minutes of the proceedings of the council, since the 
preceding stated meeting, shall be read. 



Vacancies. 



Committees. 



ARTICLE XIV. 



Meeting of the The stated meetings of the society shall be held 

society. O J 

on the last Thursday evening in every month, at 
such place in the city of New- York as shall be de- 
signated bv the council. 



11 

The meeting on the last Thursday in Septem- 
ber shall be the anniversary, at which time the Anniversary. 
annual election for officers shall take place. Ex- 
tra meetings of the society may be called by the Extra meetings. 
President, or, in his absence, by the senior Vice 
President present, at the request, in writing, of five 
or more members. 

Eight members at any stated meeting, and twelve Q uorum 
members at any extra meeting, shall be necessary 
to form a quorum for the transacting of business. 

Meetings shall also be held on the several special meet 

. ln S s - 

Thursday evenings, other than the last Thursday 
evenings, in the months of July, August, Septem- 
ber, and October, in each year, for the special pur- 
pose of receiving and inspecting articles present- 
ed for exhibition or premiums. 

ARTICLE XV. 

Every member, other than honorary members, 01 Vota '* 
present at any meeting of the society, shall be en- 
titled to vote at any election for officers or mem- 
bers, then pending, and upon all questions present- 
ed for consideration. 

ARTICLE XVI. 

The council shall meet at such stated times, and Meetings of the 

council. 

at such place in the city of New-York, as it may 
deem expedient. Five members shall be necessa-Q u °nmi- 
ry to form a quorum for the despatch of business. 

The President, or, in his absence, the senior Presidingofiker. 
Vice President present, and in the absence of the 
President and all the Vice Presidents, one of the 
members to be designated for that purpose by a 



12 

majority of those present, shall preside at every 
such meeting. 

By-iaws. No by-law, or general rule or regulation, shall 

be adopted, unless proposed at one stated meet- 
ing and approved at the next stated meeting of the 
council thereafter, three-fourths of the members 
present at each of such meetings concurring therein, 
and the same shall not afterwards be altered, modi- 
fied or repealed by the council, except in like 
manner. 

Extra meetings An extra meeting of the council may be called 
by the President, or either of the Vice Presidents, 
due notice being given to the resident mem- 
bers. 

ARTICLE XVII. 

Amendment of No alteration shall be made in this constitution. 

the constitution. . 

except proposed, in writing, by six or more mem- 
bers, and approved of by the society at two succes- 
sive stated meetings, three-fourths of the members 
present, at each of the said meetings, concurring 
therein. 

ARTICLE XVIII. 

Stock - Stock, to the amount of twenty thousand dol- 

lars, in transferable shares of twenty-five dollars 
each, shall be created; and the subscription there- 
for shall be paid by the Stockholders respective- 
ly, by such instalments and at such times as shall 
be required by the Council, under pain of for- 
feiture of their shares and all previous payments 
made thereon. 



J 3 

Certificates of stock shall be issued in such certificates. 
form, and authenticated in such manner, as the 
Council shall prescribe ; and no transfer of such Transfer. 
stock shall be valid or effectual unless the same 
shall be registered on the books of the Society to 
be kept for that purpose. 

So much of the amount raised by such stock as Appropriation. 
may be deemed expedient, shall be appropriated 
to the purchase of a site for a Garden and the ne- 
cessary improvement of the premises ; the residue, 
if any, shall form part of the capital of the Socie- 
ty, and the interest thereof only shall be applied 
towards defraying the current expenses of the So- 
ciety. 

Every stockholder, though not a member of the Privilege of 

» . . .. • i -i i i -m stockholder not 

Society, shall be entitled to the personal privilege a member. 
of free admission into the Garden in like manner 
as a member. 

After the Garden shall be in operation, the resi- Dividends, 
due of the annual income of the Society, arising 
from the interest of its capital, the annual contri- 
butions of members, from receipts for the admis- 
sion of other than members and stockholders into 
the Garden, from any sales of products of the 
Garden, and from all other sources, after defray- 
ing the expenses of the Society, shall be annually 
divided among the stockholders, by way of inter- 
est upon the stock ; such dividend in any one year 
not, however, to exceed eight per cent. Any sur- 
plus that may remain to be added to the capital 
of the Society. 



14 

Real estate, &c. r fhe real estate purchased with the proceeds of 

pledged for re- 1 • 1 p 

demption of such stock, together with any part of such pro- 
ceeds that may remain unexpended upon the Gar- 
den, is hereby declared to be inviolably pledged 
to the stockholders for the redemption of such 
stock. 



15 



OFFICERS FOR 1824. 



Hon. STEPHEN VAN RENSSELAER, President, 

PHILIP HONE, 
JOHN TORREY 



ice Presidents. 



,M.D. f r ,. 

' > Vic 

JOHN LOW, Treasurer. 

JOHN GRISCOM, ) ~ ,. „ . . 

ISAAC M ELY \ Corresponding Secretaries. 

LAMBERT SUYDAM, ) D ,. _ . . 

CHARLES MOW ATT, \ Recordm S Secretaries. 



MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL. 



Resident. 

G. B. ABEEL, 

STEPHEN ALLEN, 

JOHN ASPINWALL, 

WM. BAYARD, Jun. 

THOMAS BLOODGOOD, 

JAMES BOGGS, 

JAMES BOORMAN, 

GEO. BRINCKERHOFF, 

WM. G. BUCKNOR, 

WILLIAM COOPER, 

JAMES E. DEKAY, M. D. 

JOHN DELAFIELD, 

CHARLES H. HALL, 

R. N. HARISON, 

CORNELIUS HEYER, 

ISAAC HEYER, 

G. G. HOWLAND, 

DAVID S. JONES, 

J. G. HAVILAND, 

Hon. WM. PAULDING. Jun. 

FELIX PASCALIS, M.D. 

NATHANIEL PRIME, 

P. SCHERMERHORN, Jun. 

WILLIAM SHAW, 

HERMAN THORN, 

WM. TORREY, Jun. 

JER. VAN RENSSELAER,MD 

SAMUEL WARD, Jun. 

EZRA WEEKS, 

GABRIEL WINTER. 



Non-Rcstdent. 

Hon. JOHN ARMSTRONG, 

JESSE BUEL, 

JAMES DUANE, 

G. W. FEATHERSTONHAUGH, 

Col. GEORGE GIBBS, 

JOHN HUNTER, 

MYRON HOLLY, 

JOHN A. KING, 

Judge J. LENT, 

R. L. LIVINGSTON, 

M. LE RAY DE CHAUMONT 

Judge L. LEFFERTS, 

EDWARD H. PENDLETON. 

WILLIAM PRINCE, 

Chancellor N. SANFORD, 

ABM. SCHERMERHORN, 

PHILIP J. SCHUYLER, 

Hon. AMBROSE SPENCER, 

Gen. J. G. SWIFT, 

Gen. M. D. WADSWORTH. 



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